Bifurcated garment with built-in support



Feb. 15, 1966 BERGSTEIN 3,234,947

BIFURCATED GARMENT WITH BUILT IN SUPPORT Filed Dec. 31, 1963 M r/az INVENTOR.

//?V//V6 Bf/PGSTEl/V E 041i ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,234,947 BIFURCATED GARMENT WITH BUILT-IN SUPPORT Irving Bergstein, Easton, Pa., assignor to Easton Trouser Company, Easton, Pa., a partnership Filed Dec. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 334,707 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-519) In general, this invention relates to a new and improved bifurcated garment and more particularly to garments such as mens and womens slacks with an integral girdle.

In certain garments such as womens slacks, it is extremely difficult to wear girdles or other supports without creating undesirable bulges, creases or the like which detract from the overall appearance intended to be provided by the wearer.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a built-in girdle on ladies or mens pants. This built-in girdle will give body and support to the pants in addition to acting as a girdle or support. It is also contemplated that the girdle can be built-in on the front of the pants only, thus giving more balance to the pants as the fullness of the seat remains soft while the front is smoothly supported.

Thus, it is the general object of this invention to provide a new and improved bifurcated garment.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a new and better garment having a built-in girdle.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of new and better slacks having a built-in girdle which can be easily manufactured and which provides a smooth outer appearance without creasing.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentali-ties shown.

FIGURE 1 is a showing of a pair of slacks built in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial cross sectional View of the slacks of FIGURE 1 taken along lines 2-2.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the fabric used in manufacturing one half of the slacks of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of the fabric of FIGURE 3 taken along lines 4--4.

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of the fabric of FIGURE 3 taken along lines 5-5.

In FIGURE 1, there is shown a bifurcated garment generally designated by the numeral 19. The garment can be mens or womens pants or slacks. The slacks 10 have right and left legs 12 and 14 extending from the upper or torso portion 16. A suitable waistband 18 is provided about the waist portion of the slacks 10. As shown in FIGURE 2, the slacks 10 when worn by a person have an outer fabric portion 20 gathered at spaced points in darts 22 and 24 to narrow the slacks about the waistband 18 with respect to the torso portion 16. In FIGURE 2, there is shown the left half of the slacks 10 which includes leg 14. This half of the slacks 10 is manufactured from two fabric patterns 26 and 28 joined along a seam 30.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, the fabric patterns 26 and 28 are complementary and both have lower extensions 32 and 34 for forming the leg 14. A zipper 36 is sewn to the concealed surface in FIGURE 3 along one vertical edge of fabric pattern 28 to aid in forming the fly front 38 of the slacks 10.

On the inner surface of the slacks 10 there are placed front and back elastic portions 38 and til. The elastic portions 3? and 40 are wide bands manufactured of a 3,234,947 Patented F eb. 15, 1966 Spandex fiber such as Lycra. The elastic portions 38 and 40 have a lower free edge 42 and 44 which is not secured to the fabric 20. The lower edges 42 and 44 are positioned at a point approximately one-half the height of the upper portion 16 of the slacks 10. One vertical side edge of the elastic portions 38 and 40 is secured along the seam 30. The other vertical side edge of the elastic portions 38 and 40 are respectively secured to the vertical side edges 46 and 48 respectively of fabric portions 28 and 26. Further, the top edges 50 and 52 of the elastic portions 38 and 40 are sewn to the outer portions 26 and 28 at the waistband 18.

The length of edges 50 and 52 is equal to the length of the top edge of fabric patterns 28 and 26 between side edge 46 and seam 30; and between side edge 48 and seam 30 respectively. This eliminates stretching of the waistband and insures a snug fit about the waist of the wearer.

The bottom edges 42 and 44 are, in their unstressed condition as shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, shorter than the distance between side edge 46 and seam 30 and side edge 48 and seam 30 respectively at the central portion of the torso portion 16. Further, dart-s 22 and 24 of fabric pattern 26 and dart 54 of fabric pattern 28 are also sewn to the elastic portions 38 and 40. As best seen in FIG URE 4, the elastic portions 38 and 40 span the distance between side edge 48 and dart 22, the distance between dart 22 and dart 24, the distance between dart 24 and seam 3d, the distance between seam 30 and dart 54, and the distance between dart 54 and seam 46 without sagging. Over the same distances, the fabric 20 is loosely sewn as it has been cut more fully than the elastic portions 38 and 40 leaving room for expansion of the elastic port-ions 38 and 40.

As shown in FIGURE 2, when the slacks 10 are worn the elastic portions 38 and 40 expand outwardly to the limit determined by the fabric 20. Accordingly, when the slacks are so filled out, the outer surface of the slacks gives a neat smooth appearance while providing the support for the persons abdomen or seat which he desires. This is, in effect, a built-in girdle for the slacks.

If desired, the seat elastic portion 40 can be eliminated on both halves of the inner surface of the slacks 10 so that only front elastic portions 38 will be utilized. This construction will retain the front of the slacks in a better manner while insuring that the fullness and soft appearance of the seat remains.

It has been found especially useful to cut the elastic portions 38 and 40 in the manner whereby the lower edges 42 and 44 are one-half inch less than the corresponding distance across fabric patterns 28 and 26 respectively to insure proper proportioning and use of the built-in girdle effect.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms with-out departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

I. A bifurcated outer garment comprising: a lower torso portion with two leg portions extending therefrom,

said torso portion having an edge defining the waistband of said garment; and a wide band of elastic fabric extending transversely along an inner surface of said torso portion, said band having a length extending along said edge and a width extending substantially one-half of a distance between said edge and leg portions, said band being fastened to said garment only along said edge and at spaced attachment lines which are substantially normal to said edge with amounts of said band between said attachment lines being less than corresponding amounts therebetween of said torso portion, said amounts of said band being expanded when said garment is put on, said band thereby providing within said garment a nether support which is open and spaced from said leg portions to facilitate dressing in said garment.

2. The bifurcated garment of claim 1 including a front half and a seat half of said torso portion, said band extending along only said front half.

3. The bifurcated garment of claim 1 wherein said garment has a cleavage perpendicular to said edge to open said garment for convenience in dressing and including a fastener means to close said cleavage.

4. The bifurcated garment of claim 3 wherein said fastener means is a zipper.

elastic fabric of said band is a Spandex fabric, and including a plurality of said vertical attachment lines for fastening said band to said torso portion at a minimum of four spaced lines.

6. The bifurcated garment of claim 5 wherein said attachment lines include darts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,064,977 12/1936 Kahn l28--540 2,983,924 5/1961 Cohen et al. 267 2,997,044 8/1961 Simons 128-547 3,068,871 12/1962 Rapp 128519 5. The bifurcated garment of claim 1 wherein said 15 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BIFURCATED OUTER GARMENT COMPRISING: A LOWER TORSO PORTION WITH TWO LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID TORSO PORTION HAVING AN EDGE DEFINING THE WAISTBAND OF SAID GARMENT; AND A WIDE BAND OF ELASTIC FABRIC EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ALONG AN INNER SURFACE OF SAID TORSO PORTION, SAID BAND HAVING A LENGTH EXTENDING ALONG SAID EDGE AND A WIDTH EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY ONE-HALF OF A DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID EDGE AND LEG PORTIONS, SAID BAND BEING FASTENED TO SAID GARMENT ONLY ALONG SAID EDGE AND AT SPACED ATTACHMENT LINES WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID EDGE WITH AMOUNTS OF SAID BAND BETWEEN SAID ATTACHMENT LINES BEING LESS THAN CORRESPONDING AMOUNTS THEREBETWEEN OF SAID TORSO PORTION, SAID AMOUNTS OF SAID BAND BEING EXPANDED WHEN SAID GARMENT IS PUT ON, SAID BAND THEREBY PROVIDING WITHIN SAID GARMENT A NETHER SUPPORT WHICH IS OPEN AND SPACED FROM SAID LEG PORTIONS TO FACILITATE DRESSING IN SAID GARMENT. 